The brain is indeed a computer, and one thing that it is very good at is pattern recognition. The “break-in” process is imprinting. Once the sound of a particular system is fully imprinted, then the next time you hear that pattern, even a long time later, you recognize the pattern and say’ “Ah, a Pioneer receiver and a pair of Large Advents!” I have no trouble recognizing a pair of Lowther’s from a pair of Fostex. Those patterns are fully imprinted. However, when I installed the phase plugs, I didn’t recognize the sound and the pattern had to be imprinted.When you walk into a room where an unknown or otherwise foreign system is playing, it may sound right or not. If the new sound closely matches something that is imprinted in your brain and you have declared it “correct”, then it will sound correct. The closer the match, the more correct the new sound will be. The sound could also match a pattern that you have determined to be “bad”. Then you will instantly know that the new system sucks!
Bob